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Product FAQs

Before You Buy

What is a video capture card, and how can I tell if it will work in my setup?

You can use a video capture device to capture or record an audio and video output signal to a connected computer. You can use USB, ExpressCard, or PCI Express technology to connect a video capture device to a computer system. StarTech.com has video capture devices that can capture audio and video from sources such as HDMI, DVI, VGA, S-Video, component, or composite. The captured signals are usually recorded with software that is included with the video capture device. Some software will also stream the captured signals online.

Select a capture device that features the audio and video connections you want to use. These can be identified on the product page, under the Technical Specifications tab. Whenever possible, you should avoid using adapters or converters with video capture devices as they can cause issues or negatively impact the quality of the audio or video signals being captured.

When looking at a video capture device that requires software to use, it is important to consider the operating system you want to use it on. You can find this on the product page under the Technical Specifications tab, which only lists supported operating systems.

Consider what resolution and refresh rate you require. You can find the supported resolutions and refresh rates on the product page, under the Technical Specifications tab in the Performance section.

Video capture device usually use drivers and software to record audio and video. Both the drivers and the software can be found on the product page under the Support tab. Different software will have different features so it’s a good idea to review the software to make sure it is a good fit for your intended usage. You can do so by looking at the manual for the device, also located on the Support tab. StarTech.com only supports the software included with the video capture device.

HDCP stands for High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection. This system protects high definition video from being intercepted, modified, or recorded between the source and the display. All StarTech.com devices adhere to the HDCP standard, so they do not record HDCP-protected content. HDCP content that is being blocked often appears as a blank screen or a screen with an HDCP error shown on it.

Certain video capture devices allow you to stream video feeds online with streaming platform such as YouTube. For more information, review the product manual or watch our video on this subject. You can find a link to the video in the description. If at this point you have further questions about a Startech.com video capture device contact our technical support team for further assistance.